Animal-trap.



' o. 872,429. PATENTED DEC. s, 1907.

A. JOHNSON. ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIUATION FILED APR-11,1907.

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ABNER JOHNSON, OF STRANDQUIST, MINNESOTA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER JonNsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Strandquist, in the county of Marshall and State ofMinnesota, have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to animal traps, and the object is to provide acheap, novel and eflective trap for catching any kind of animals bytying a cord, cable or chain about one or more of their legs. This andother objects I attain by the novel construction and arrangement ofparts illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a topor plan view of my trap in set position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thetrap in the sprung position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 2showing the springbar and locking mechanism and parts to which the chainis fastened.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 1 designates a flat barof spring steel, which is normally straight as in Fig. 2, but

when the trap is set it assumes the horseshoe shape shown in Fig. 1. Tothe ends of said bar is secured, preferably by means of rings 2 and 2 achain 3, at the middle of which is formed a 100 4 of the type known as asimple overha knot. From the ring 2' is extended another chain 3 whichmay preferably be an extension of chain 3, to a hook 5 and thence to acurved normally depending arm 6 of a rock shaft 7, j ournaled in abracket 8 and having at its other end a normally horizontal arm 9engaged, when the trap is set, by a trip-lever 1O pivoted at 11 in thebracket. The chain 3 may be extended as 3 and secured to a ost 12, bywhich the trap is secured so that the animal cannot carry it away.

When the trap is set the loop 4 is opened to its widest limit as in Fig.1, and below the loop is placed a trip 14, in the present instance it ismade of wire netting with a joint 15 across it, but it may also be'asolid plate. The ends of the trip are provided with wires 16 havingrings 17 which are placed one on the hook 13 and the other on the end ofthe trip lever 10, so that when the animal steps on the trip 14 thelever or arm 10 will swing inward and release the arm 9, whereby thechain 3*, which holds the trap set, will escape from arm 6 of therocker-shaft and allow the Specification of Letters Patent. Applicationfiled April 11. 1907- Serial No, 367.487-

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

bar 1 to jump to its straight position and thereby tighten the loop 4about the leg of the animal.

18 are plates secured on the spring bar 1 to prevent smking of the trapin loose ground or in the snow, where it may be used to great advantagefor rabbits and other animals that prefer stepping or jumping in thetracks already formed in the snow by themselves or other animals, sothat when the trip 14 is placed in or below such foot prints or pits andthe trap concealed in the snow, the game cannot avoid it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patout is 1. An animal trap comprising a normally straightspring bar, an integral chain secured with the ends to the ends of thespring bar and having intermediate its ends its middle portion formedinto a loop adapted to catch the animal, means for holding the springbar bent when the trap is set, and means for tripping the trap.

2. An animal trap comprising a flexible member with an over hand knot onit by which to catch the animal, and a spring secured with an end toeach end of the flexible member to pull the knot tight when the animalis in it.

3. An animal tra comprising a normally substantially straig 1t springbar adapted to be curved to a horse-shoe-shape, a chain secured with anend to each end of the spring and having a 100 in which to catch theanimal, a tripping evice carried by one end of the spring, a tripadapted to be' placed below the catching loop and having one enddetachably held by the tripping device and the.

other end secured to the other end of the spring, a chain holding thespring in set position and being detachably held by the tripping deviceso as to spring the trap when the trip is operated.

4. An animal trap comprising a normally substantially straight springbar adapted to be curved to a horse-shoe-shape, a chain secured with anend to each end of the spring and having a loop in which to catch theanimal, a tripping device carried by one end of the spring, a tripadapted to be placed below the catching loop and having one enddetachably held by the tripping device and the other end secured to theother end of the spring, a chain holding the spring in set posi- Intestimony whereof I afliX my signature, tion 23nd being detachablyllileld by the tripin presence of two Witnesses. ping evice so as tospring t e trap W ien the trip is operated, and a chain for securing theABNER JOHNSON 5 trap against removal by the animal, said Witnesses:

chain and the chain holding the trap set and NELs A. JOHNSON, thecatching chain being made integral. P. O. HANSON.

